Rebuilding Memories
by LordTarr
Summary: 5 years after the destruction of the Second Death Star and the death of Emperor Palpatine, Luke Skywalker sets about on a journey to reconstruct the Jedi order. What he finds in the process may put him at peace with (as well as shock him of) his heritage. Follow Luke around the galaxy in this short story as he discovers his family's past. Takes place around 8 ABY, EU/AU content.
1. Introduction

5 years after the destruction of the Second Death Star and the death of Emperor Palpatine, Luke Skywalker sets about on a journey to reconstruct the Jedi order. What he finds in the process may put him at peace with (as well as shock him of) his heritage. Follow Luke around the galaxy in this short story as he discovers his family's past. Takes place around 8 ABY, EU/AU content.

* * *

Luke Skywalker let out a soft sigh as he stood in the top spire of the Jedi Council chambers. Looking out of the huge panoramic windows, he surveyed the ruins of the Jedi Temple below him. In Darth Sidious' and Darth Vader's quest to wipe out the Jedi nearly 30 years before, they very nearly destroyed the structure the used to symbolize peace. But Sidious left the temple barely standing in mocking; a sick and twisted testament to his power. The area was barricaded off and Shadow Stormtroopers were posted everywhere. Those who were brave (or stupid) enough to cross past the large barriers were put to death immediately, furthering the Emperor's gruesome resolve of the Jedi.

Brushing off a dust-blanketed seat, vague images swam through his mind as if the ghosts of times past were trying to tell him something. This place was still very strong in the Force. It seems as if it has hotspots in some places within the temple walls and then opposing blank areas in other parts. Luke sat down in the chair, not knowing whom it used to seat, that knowledge lost long ago. Pulling out his datapad, he reviewed his current plans on rebuilding the temple and ultimately restoring the Jedi Order. Amongst other things that had been destroyed in the siege against the Jedi, the Archives were no longer in any usable form thanks to "effectiveness" of the eradication. Like the knowledge of who used to sitting in the chair Luke occupies, the knowledge of even the simplest building plans was nonexistent. Releasing another sigh, though more troubled, Luke stood back up and motioned his companion to follow him to the turbolift.

"C'mon Artoo," he said. "You wouldn't wanna get stuck up here, would you?" Chuckling as the little droid blurped out a reply, they boarded the lift to take them back to the main hall below. It was a long journey ahead of him, but only he had the remaining knowledge to attempt such a feat.

* * *

"Why can't we talk to him?" Came an annoyed grumble. "Obviously he can't see us yet."

"You know damn well why, my friend." Another voice calmly replied. "The Living Force has plans for him first."

"Is that why it feels like we're trapped in a bubble?" The first voice asked.

"Actually no. The real reason is that the Force isn't strong enough for us to appear to him, let alone talk to him up here. We need to wait. Once he's within meters of the spire can we make contact." His counterpart looked at him skeptically. "And who knows when that will be, those rooms encircling it haven't been uncovered yet."

"Yeah," the first voice said, as he looked back to the now closed turbolift doors, "I suppose we have to be patient." Looking at his translucent, glowing counterpart, Anakin Skywalker added "You're right Obi-Wan, I still have much to learn…."


	2. Chapter 1: The Inspiring Spire

A/N: Updated July, 7, 2015

Thanks to InLoveWithYuki78 for the review. Here's more!

* * *

Ch.1 The Inspiring Spire.

Luke Skywalker stepped out of the turbolift as soon as the doors opened with Artoo Detoo in tow. Hooking his bag around his shoulder, he walked to the edge of the walkway and stood at the marblesque bannister. Leaning on an undamaged portion, he surveyed the area below, taking in the fallen pillars and exposed duracrete slabs that were once veneered by bright ornamental stone. Rolling up to him, Artoo warbled out a question. Luke turn to his droid and smiled.

"Yes, Artoo, we're going to be rebuilding this entire place." Placing his gloved hand in the smooth dome of his friend and exclaimed, "From the lowest levels to the tip of the spires!" Artoo let out an excited whistle.

Letting out a chuckle, Luke adds, "Yes, you can help, little one." A thought formed in his head and as he was about to ask, he felt a strange feeling through the Force. It wasn't ominous like the feelings he'd get during the battles with the Empire. No, it was more happy, almost as if the Force was celebrating something. Feeling drawn towards the lower, central levels of the temple, Luke pushed the thought aside and motioned for the astromech to follow him.

Wandering down sets of stairways, along corridors, Luke lost track of time, following the elusive feeling. Oddly, not once had he encountered any remains of Jedi bodies from the unfortunate slaughter. He would have to enquire on that later when he had the chance to ask someone from the Old Republic days. Continuing into a dimmer section of the temple where power had not been restored, he pulled out his lightsaber, igniting it to provide light so he could see ahead down the halls he was wandering through. All the while, Artoo bumbling along behind, twittering lightly to himself. Luke was brought out of his musings when Artoo let out a raspberry followed by a low electronic moan. He had stumbled across an ancient looking analysis droid from when the the Jedi were thriving. This triggered the thought Luke wanted to ask earlier.

"Artoo, do you have any memories from before your service with the House of Alderaan?" Artoo blurbed a negative tone with a series of explanatory beeps. "Nothing? But you predate me by at least 30 years! Even Ben said he remembered you from the Clone Wars. Bah, it's okay, buddy. We'll try to recover them again." When the droid blipped a questioning 'why,' Luke responded, "I was hoping you had some recollection of this place. Maybe to help us navigate our way through instead of my leading us blindly through it." Adding with a smile, "Additionally, you'd be great help in rebuilding just like you wanted."

* * *

Following at a distance, the apparent ghosts of Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi trailed Luke and Artoo Detoo. Listening to the two companions conversing made the Living Force representatives chuckle in unison.

"I remember when you used to chit chat with the droid like that when you were a young knight," Obi-Wan observed.

"Yeah, he and I used to carry on quite the conversations. The other padawans would look at us like I was crazy for holding a conversation with an astromech. It was great fun!"

"Oh I bet it was, my friend." Obi-Wan chortled. "I didn't even have that kind of relationship with Arfour. Boy, I wonder what happened to that droid."

"Which Arfour?!" Anakin teased.

Obi-Wan went to put his hand on Anakin's shoulder to give him pause, but it fell right through the other apparition. He regarded it for a moment with a slight "hmm" before returning with a retort, "Well it wasn't my fault that she had such bad luck. Same with Geenine!" But his demeanor changed and his face shifted to a slight scowl. "But what of Artoo's memories? The data he had on the temple alone could be of much use to Luke in his efforts to rebuild the Jedi. Who would do such a thing as to wipe out his memory banks?"

Anakin stopped walking and looked at Obi-Wan in the eye and calmly deadpanned, "I did."

* * *

Luke, unable to see the two spirits chatting, kept up his search for the beckoning presence in the Force. It lead him to a set of what looked like tightly sealed blast doors. There appeared to be score marks all over from where it looked like Imperial technicians unsuccessfully tried accessing the room. He noticed a control panel with an untouched terminal nearby.

"Artoo, can you access this terminal and see if you can't get this door open?" He inquired. Rolling up, Artoo flipped open a panel on his cylindrical body and extended an arm with a probe on the end used for connecting with such interfaces. Attaching the probe, Artoo rattled off a comment about power being low. "Well, is there a way you can boost it?" Luke urged only to be replied to with a negative. About to venture another guess, Luke suddenly got an familiar feeling. Odd, but definitely familiar.

* * *

"A-Anakin," Obi-Wan stuttered. "Why?"

"To make sure no one traced him back to Padme." Anakin replied. "Even Darth Vader." He seemed to shudder visibly. Then he turned away from Obi-Wan to focus on his son. "He's never going to get through that way," gesturing to what Artoo was doing. "Doesn't he know that this is a Force-activated door?"

"Actually no, he doesn't." The other rebuked. "You made sure of that ages ago." Anakin's shoulders slumped and his face fell.

"Oh, yeah…." Deafening silence fell between the two.

"When you were Vader, did you ever try to come here? To the spire?" Obi-Wan asked after a moment.

Anakin shook his head. "No, Vader never felt the need to come here."

"Strange."

"Well, let's help my son. I want to talk to him."

Obi-Wan hurriedly responded, " Oh yes, let's!"

* * *

" _Luke…_ " A voice echoed.

"Ben?"

" _Use the Force!_ " Another voice was heard.

" _Use the Force, Luke._ " The first voice came again. " _The door is Force activated. You need to feel through the Force in order to open the door._ "

Confused, Luke responded, "I'll try…"

A set of voices boomed, " _DO OR DO NOT! THERE IS NO TRY!_ "

Luke laughed, "I'm not sure who you spirits are, but here goes." Concentrating on the Force, time seemed to slow around him. It seemed as if he slipped into a Force-induced trance. Focusing on the blast doors in front of him, they appeared translucent in his mind's eye. He could see the inner workings of the doors, like a giant puzzle. A gentle nudge told him to treat the door like a book, to read it from left to right, to complete each step of the puzzle before moving on to the next. Settling on the first step, Luke set about learning its intricacies, solving it and unlocking the next step.

After what seemed like hours, the doors opened up, revealing a dark passageway leading down, dimly lit by a glow from ahead. Not realizing he was sitting, Luke stood up and stretched. Patting Artoo on his dome and waking him from standby, Luke motioned for the little droid to follow.

"Come on, pal. Let's go down and see what we've discovered."


End file.
